Holding device for grain-bin gates



July 27 1926. ,594,212

l.. H. PALMER ET AL HOLDING DEVICE FOR GRAIN BIN GATES Filed Oct. 14, 1922 /7 i Il W Patented July 27, 1926.

. maar critics.

LOUIS l-I. PALMER, OE HURDSFIELD, AND FOREST ii/TJ. PALIDJIER, QF CRYSTAL SFRNGS, NGETEL DAKOTA.

HOLDNG DEVICE FR GRAINBN GATES.

Application filed October 14, 1922. Serial No. 594,498.

rllhis invention relates to :i grain bin for a grain elevator or a grain elevator leg and is particularly designed as a holding` device lor holding a gate in position, which gate is adapted to control the liow of grain. .trom or into the bin or into the elevator leg. ln grain elevator legs, an endless grain carrier is generally used comprising an endless belt having elevating buckets thereon and there is a gate at the front of lthe elevator leg for permitting they grain to flow 'from the trent pit into said leg where it is received by the buckets. rlhe niain door o the elen vater is located some distance above! the bottom of the elevator leg` and the gate is ciustomarily provided with an extension provided with handle means for opening or closing` the gate, more or less, which handle means is manipulated from the elevator iloorA lt is very necessary that the 'liow of grain into the elevator leg be accurately regulated so that the elevator is not overloaded and yet is working eiiiciently. lt is necessary to have some means to hold the gate in adjusted position which is positive in its action, else the flow of the grain will gradually move the gate toward closed position. Various devices, such as wooden wedges adapted to Contact the sides of the gate and blocks ala-ced under the ooeratino handle, as well as ratchet wheels and gears have been used for this purpose, but such devices have been tound to have many objections among which are slowness oit operation and difficulty of adjustment, while the operator is manipulating the gate. t is desirable for the operator to taire hold of the gate handles, as an experienced man can tell by having hold of the gate whether the is passing freely into the leg or whether there is some obstruction in the way, such as straw and other foreign matter. Such foreign matter tends to prevent the tiow ot grain into the elevator leg and also accumulates so as to prevent the proper closing of the gate when desired. lit the operator can directly operate the gate he can easily Jfree the passage ot such foreign matter by a qui clr opening and closing movement of the gate.

lt is an object of this invention, theretore, to provide a gate holding means ot extremely simple construction, which can be easily and quickly manipulated by the operator while he, at the same time, can take hold of the gate with one or both hands,

lt is a `further object of the invention to provide such a device comprising a lever pivoted and secured adjacent the gate having notch means thereon adapted to he engaged by a member movable with the gate.

More specifically, it is an object oi this invention to provide such a holding device comprising a bell crank lever pivoted in a bracket secured to the elevator door, which lever has an upwardly extending notched arm adapted to be engaged by a dogmovable with the gate and having an outwardly projecting arm adapted to be operated by the foot oli the operator, which lever is moved toward the dog or gate.

rlhese and other objects and advantages oit the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters reiter to the same parts throughout thev ditierent views, and in which Fig. l is a vertical section 4through lthe grain bin and lower portion ot theelevatcr leg showing the device oit the invention in side elevation;

F ig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, as indicated by the arrows; e

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line of Fig. 2, as indicated by 'the ar rows;

Fig. l is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 ot Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the holding device; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, the tloor ot the elevator is designated as l, one of the grain pits below the same as 2, which has an opening in its lower side passing into the elevator leg 3, which opening is controlled by a vertically movable gate niem ber d slidable in guides 5 at each side thereof. An endless belt 17 'moves about suitable pulleys in said leg 3 and is equipped with elevator cups 18 adapted to receive and carry the grain upwardly in said leg. The said gate has an upwardly extending projection 6 provided with a handle means 7 at its upper end, which handle is disposed some distance above th@ 1100i l, Said extension shown as movingl in guide members 16 secured to the side of the elevator leg.

A U-shaped bracket 8 of simple construction is secured to the door l adj acentthe extension 6 and a lever is provided having a forlred or biturcated portion 9, the arms of Which are disposed inside the arms of the bracket 8 and are piyoted thereto by ah headed and nntted bolt l0. An arm ll is termed on said lever and extends upwardly from the portion 9, being provided on its 'front side with notches or ratchet-shaped teeth l2. ln arm i3 of said lever entends outwardly in substantially horizontal. direction from the portion 9, which arm is ein'red somewhat dWnWardly7 as shown in l and 5 and somewhat llattened on its outer end, as shown in Fig. 8. i coiled spring` lllencireles the bolt l0 and has one end bearing against the bracket 8 and its otier end engaging' the lever and tending` to swing;` the saine to more the arm lll toward the gate extension 6. The said extension has secured thereto a dog or toothed member l5 having an outwardly projecting;` tooth adapted to engage one ot the notches or teeth l2 on the arm l1.

lllhen it is desired to close the gate (5, the operator can merely step on the end ot the arm 13, thus swinging the teeth l2 ont ot line with the dog l5 and then push the gate downwardly by taking hold of the handie means 7. lt it is desired to open the gate, the operator can stand sc'iiarely in trent of the same and litt the gate by talring hold of the handle 7. He Will at the same time step upon the lever arm 153, and when the gate is adjusted to the proper height, the arm 13 can be released so that the tooth l5 Will engage one of the teeth 1Q. As the arm ll is pressed toward the dog by the saring` le, the gate Will thus be securely held in its adjusted position. If the operator Wishes to quickly raise and ieaeie lower the gate one or more times to tree and Very el'licient holding device for a grain gate. The gate can be locked almost instantly in its adjusted position and its lochoperation does not necessitate any cult or large number et movements by the operator. @n the other hand, the locking` means can be easily and quickly manipulated by the operators foot While he controls the gate with his hands. rEhe invention comprises 'ery few parts which can be cheaply and rnggedly made and Will be easily installed and very durable.

lt Will, ot course7 be understood that yarious changes may be made in the form, arrane'ement and details of the parts Without departing from the scope of applicants inventiona which, generally stated7 consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claim.

vWhat is claimed is:

El. holding device tor a sliding panel, comnising dog; mountable on the panel, a #s raped bracket mounted at the lower edge of the panel facing;` said dogg, a bilurcaied portion piyoted to .said bracket, said portion having substantially vertical arm with notches thereon facing said dog7 one of said notches being engageable there fith, and a, substantially horizontal arm for moving said notches ont oit engagement with said doo' and means for normally urging said iwi notched arm towards said dog.

in testimony whereof We aiiix oar signatures.

LUIS H. PALMER. FOREST W. Pf'iLME. 

